Technical Field
This invention relates to methods of using a device for removing anatomic structures from the body, such as solid structures, cystic structures, organs such as a gallbladder or an appendix, and the like.
State of the Art
Surgeons are often required to remove or partially resect fluid or semi-fluid filled intra-abdominal and/or intrathoracic masses or organs for various accepted clinical indications. Such indications include but are not limited to treatment of infection, diagnosis from a tissue sample, treatment of cystic masses, and controlled drainage of infected, malignant, or endometriotic cystic contents without contamination or soiling of the peritoneal or thoracic cavities.
Options currently available for draining fluid, obtaining tissue, or resecting masses, however, are limited. For example, surgical procedures are commonly performed laparoscopically and involve multiple puncture incisions of the abdominal or chest wall. Multiple incisions create additional potential sites for wound infection, incisional hernia, pain, and other complications. Additionally, laparoscopic surgery requires either retraction of the abdominal wall or insufflation of gas to expand the intraperitoneal space, creating exposure for the surgeon to visualize and safely manipulate tissue. These maneuvers require general or high-spinal anesthesia for pain control, and to properly relax the abdominal wall. There is a risk of serious and potentially lethal complications associated with general and spinal anesthesia, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, malignant hyperthermia, pulmonary thromboembolism, and others.
Accordingly, methods of using a device are needed for draining and removing cystic and other masses, appendices, gallbladders, and the like, which allows the medical practitioner to easily view, manipulate, aspirate, and amputate the contents and potentially remove the structure through a single limited incision without the need for refraction and relaxation of the abdominal or chest wall and general/spinal anesthesia.